Medicaid Expansion Boosts Quick Access to Quality Lung Cancer Treatment

A recent study published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery provides crucial insights into the impacts of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act on lung cancer treatment outcomes.

Conducted by researchers led by Dr. Zamaan Hooda at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the study analyzed data from the National Cancer Database covering 43,151 patients diagnosed with early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from 2010 to 2016. The findings reveal that Medicaid expansion states saw a 2.8% increase in lung cancer surgeries at high-volume hospitals known for lower postoperative complications and mortality rates compared to non-expansion states. Moreover, these states showed a 2.1% rise in surgeries conducted within 90 days of diagnosis, emphasizing quicker access to essential surgical treatments, potentially saving lives and improving outcomes.

The study highlights the potential of improved insurance coverage in guiding oncologic surgical procedures from local community hospitals to specialized institutions, thereby enhancing care quality through regionalization. Given the ongoing debates about Medicaid expansion, this study's insights serve as a critical resource for policymakers and health-care providers aiming to strategize improvements in access to high-quality lung cancer care across the U.S., reinforcing the connection between health-care policy and quality cancer care.